#i don't have a record player of my own i am a cd person it's my cross to bear i'm sorry

[majortomwaits]

four years. it's been four years and still no CD, so, naturally, i ended up reaching out to the record company on instagram since they don't seem to have a website

[angrypedestrian]

My good pal @explosionshark tagged me asking my top 5 impactful bands/artists, and I am happy to oblige. These are vaguely in chronological order, but also time is soup, so.

1. Sum 41 - This could probably be swapped with Simple Plan or Good Charlotte too, but I think Sum 41 is the least embarrassing (?), so we'll go with that. But basically they were my introduction to pop-punk and, like, subculture in general. I was 12/13-ish when All Killer, No Filler came out, and Fat Lip alone got me out of a rut of just listening to country music and whatever was on the radio, and made me start having my own opinions about what music I wanted to listen to outside of what was being played AT me. And from there it was a direct line to stuff like AFI, and then eventually emo and everything else in its wake.

2. Saaa - You may recall, one of my biggest Brands is being a ska lover and appreciator. It all starts with Saaa. They were a group of kids from my high school (I went to a school with an insanely successful marching band, we subsequently had A LOT of ska bands with really talented horn sections), who were seniors when I was a freshman, and they were the first actual show, not A Concert, that I went to. I had so much fun dancing with my friends, learning to be in a pit, learning that music can be a real community, not just listening to stuff on your CD player alone. Honestly there may not be a more impactful band for who I am now and what I stand for. The link for this one is from my personal google drive, because I have carted the three Saaa demo mp3s I have with me from computer to computer for almost 20 years. They are one of my most prized possessions, and if I ever lose them, I WILL cry.

3. Circle Takes The Square - My memory is terrible, so I may be wrong about this, but CTTS was the first heavy band that made me actually, seriously interested in heavy music. I liked Slipknot and Linkin Park and shit when I was a kid (and don't get me wrong, they still rule), but it was very surface level angry teen stuff. CTTS was my gateway into understanding why screamo and hardcore and things on that side of the spectrum were actually good. As you may recall I grew up in ground zero for militant vegan straight edge hardcore, and all those dudes were so FUCKING annoying so I dismissed several whole genres of music in the process of hating them. But I was wrong about that, hardcore and screamo and metal all are good, actually. Also, my first tattoo was a lyric from Crowquill. But I was 18 and definitely misconstrued a line that was sarcastic as being sincere. Whoops! It is large and dark and takes up a whole inner bicep, double whoops!!!

4. Team Dresch - This is the one that changed everything, like really and truly. Team Dresch was my intro into queercore, and inspired me to start Fuck Yeah! Queer Music over a decade ago. I found Team Dresch as a newly gay punk kid who loved to be a pretentious little shit about being into 90s emo, and learning that there was a band of queer women making the music all the bands full of cis men I loved to listen to (and making it better!!) blew my mind wide fucking open, and I haven't looked back since. Personal Best is one of my most listened to records, and I still can't believe sometimes that I have gotten to see them twice! If you're gay and punk and play in a band, you probably have Team Dresch to thank.

5. RVIVR - I don't know how to put into words how important RVIVR is to me. Suffice it to say, this is a band that actually kept me from killing myself in a very very real way. I wouldn't be here typing this without them, and I miss them every single fucking day. But as long as I can hope that maybe one day I'll get to see them one last time, I'll be here. (Fun fact: not only are they the only band I've seen twice in one day, I've seen them twice in one day on two separate occasions! Second fun fact: I also saw them one (1) week after I got top surgery and still had my drains in! That was stupid, but I'm glad I did because it was the last time I ever got to see them)

(Gotta give an honorable mention to Ace of Base though, my first favorite band, whose first record came out in the US when I was 5 or 6, and it was the first cassette I ever owned. I listened to it CONSTANTLY and it is absolutely the reason I am gay today).

Curious to hear anyone else's top five influential bands or albums! @pivitor @piratejenne @unsungfury @whatthehelliswrongwithhim pop to mind, but truly anyone else reading this I love hearing about shit like this from people.

[depressedraisin]

hiii 💗 5, 14, and 18 for the arctic monkeys asks 🥰

5. which album means the most to you?

the car 🥹 anyone who has know me for even five minutes will know how deeply attached i am to that album. it's the album that really made fall in love with the band after having been a fringe fan for years and it really opened my eyes to the brilliance of alex's writing. 2022 was, so far, the worst year of my life, and the album became the soundtrack to a time when i was dealing with a lot of grief, anxiety and identity crises. i was quite lost and the car became the teddy bear i hugged to sleep every night. i love her so much.

14. do you own any physical copies of any of the albums?

unfortunately no 😭 firstly, i don't own a record or cd player anymore and secondly, i live in india and exchange rates are fucked up. but some day *sigh*

18. if you could ask each member of the band something and have them answer honestly, what questions would you ask them?

ooooooohhhhhh interesting...... i don't know really. i wracked my brain for ten minutes on this question but ig i'll just ask them to recommend music. otherwise i'd LOVE to do a full fledged interview with each of them personally. that'd be fun (rolling stone, hire me pls)

[dill-pickel-the-comic]

I bought 30 CDs for $30

TLDR: Me and some friends went to this record store (I forgot the name) and there they sold packs of CDs by genre for 10 bucks. 10 CDs for $10. I bought 3 of these packs, 1 alt rock, and 1 80s Hard Rock, and 1 new age pack. I honestly thought that this was going to be an ass purchase. I thought I was going to hate most of the songs and projects I bought but I'm 5 albums in and this has been a really fun experience.

Yapping section:

Me and my friends are really into music and have always sorta fetishized the idea of walking into a record store and buying something you've never heard of and listening to it. So this was that idea on overdrive, they way the packs were packages you couldn't even see the covers of the CDs, just the titles. Most of them are into vinyl but personally I think there overpriced compared to CDs. Plus CDs are so human sized, I cant explain what that statement means it just makes sense in my head. I have always been into a variety of music from different ages, and I have a lot of fun just listening to new music. But I don't like just listening to the most popular music a genre has to offer, I want the weird and experimental stuff that people don't talk about. That just made prospect of random bottom of the barrel never sold and pre owned cd packs for cheap so appealing (and why I dumped $30 on them).

I know its dumb to do so but honestly I had only a vague idea of how I was going to actually hear these songs. I had to do a lot of bullshit just to be hear them in the CD forms. I looked up the one's that I have listened to up to this point and most of them are available on Spotify, and if not in some form on YouTube. But I was really suborned about wanting to listen to them in there CD form. Its not hard to get a hold of a CD player or anything, or even expensive to get something to rip the CDs straight onto my computer. My dad used to be really into CDs and said it wouldn't be hard for him to go by my grandma and grandpa's house to go pick his old stuff up (which I might still ask to do). But what I did is grad this old Blu-ray disk reader and connected it to my monitor. The only problem is that I don't have any speakers and had to figure out a way to make the things make noise. After 30 minutes I came to the realization that my monitor actually had a audio input. So I was legit able to plug in my headphones in directly and avoid all the complicated algebra I was doing to listen to some potentially mid Alt Rock.

I don't want to jinx myself because right now all I have been listening to is the 10 alt rock CDs, alt rock being a genre that I actually have some experience with and know I enjoy. Unlike new age, and 80s hard rock which I have never listened to. I expected to have some of these CDs damaged and the pack that I am the most afraid of hating and or not working is new age (which if you don't know was a movement from like the mid 60s to the mid 80s (but mostly focused around the 70s) so damage and disk rot is almost to be expected for these 50+ year old CDs. But hay I am having a lot of fun hearing these projects, and so far I have only disliked one CD.

I want to make comics and post them and I'm thinking of trying out what I want them to be, maybe Ill make some of my more funny takes on these albums into comics. But I like the idea of posting reviews and written first impressions on what I have listened to. I'm going to keep it 100, I'm a lazy and inconstant artist and I don't like binding myself to one medium. Writing (on a small scale) is a lot faster than painting or drawing so despite my name you should probably going to be doing 98% blob posts.

[wammygiveaway]

Hip-Hop-Tober: Renegade

Many years ago, I developed an urge to rap. How did it happen, why did I do it, what pushed me to really try out this style of music? The answer to all these questions can only be summed up as an out-of-the-blue experience which I've been unable to properly explain to this day. First I was mumbling nonsense words rhythmically to whatever hip hop song I had on my Sony Walkman or portable CD player. About a year or two later, a simple lyrics search for a song led me to the legendary Original Hip Hop Lyrics Archive (OHHLA), which later turned into my go-to place for new material and history lessons, eventually becoming a frequent lyrics contributor. One day, after having submitted about a hundred lyrics, I found myself writing a rap verse of my own. And the rest is history… with a twist. I never got discovered, never submitted a demo tape, never took part in a rap contest, or even went to a concert. Whether cowardice, privacy, lack of funding, or laziness is to blame, I just couldn't commit myself into getting my name out to the masses. It was weird: the dream of being a rapper felt more enjoyable to me than actually going through with it. But the opportunity was there for the taking, I could have really shaped the future of hip hop with my weird, wild and whimsical presence. But maybe, perhaps due to a little thing called inexperience, it was probably for the best I didn't make a scene.

Welcome to Hip-Hop-Toper, a series of blog entries in which I try to justify my very existence as an emcee. Over the years, I secretly wrote rap verses to some of my favorite songs for my own personal enjoyment, be they from hit singles or deep cuts from my favorite artists. For the first time ever, I am opening my personal "rap diary" to the public; publishing, recording and giving retrospectives to ten of my most favorite or important verses. With my ambitions of entering the rap game no longer a priority due to my focus on video games, this series was made just for fun.

Disclaimer: the verses you are about to read and/or listen to will contain explicit content. Such things as profanity, sexual situations, substance abuse, violence, and other questionable material. Any verses containing said content will be addressed to the best of my abilities.

Artist: Jay-Z (featuring Eminem) Song: Renegade Album: The Blueprint

Wammy's Verse (Listen)

Consider me the dangerous rapper, the rapper who never quits You see, I'm into the ridiculous, most radical shit I'm just a follower, an outcast if you say so myself They never understand the feelings and emotions I felt How ironic and rude, how can they be so cruel They think I'm dumb, weak and stupid, don't think I'm a fool This is my lyric's defense, even the courts can't decide The jury can't decide my fate, they don't even know why They just mess with me, without even knowin' That I'm a stronger than an average rapper, I'm supposin' that They're be others like me, with tougher lyrics than me With lyrics like this, you'll be sure that your mind gets deceived And they'll try to get rid of me, with all of their might But they'll be certain that this number one Wammy wins the fight Til I'm the last man standin', so just stick around Cause the Giveaway's gonna show you where the Wammy was found Straight outta H.G. Is a mouth like a pussy It's opening is filled with moist, don't you believe me It's the best of the best, who comin' straight from the west And if you love my little shit, you'll probably love the rest, come on

"Renegade" was what started it all. It was my senior year at Artesia High School, first time I was on my own. In the classroom, my facade was a good student trying his darndest to get his work done while staying out of trouble (and keeping my Wammy persona a secret). But during lunch time, I found myself walking all over campus looking to impress fellow students. I don't remember how it came about, but either (1) someone overheard me practicing the verse when it was meant to be private, or (2) given my associations with a few friends I've made over the years, I just went up to them and said "Hey, wanna hear a rhyme."

It was on a Mead Notebook where I wrote this, a notebook which I kept well guarded from my family at all times. My mother detested rap music wholeheartedly simply for having "malas palabras." Every time I tried to practice my verses, she would tell me to stop. Rehearsing verses had to be done away from any or all of my family members, resulting in having to wait until I visited my friend's house in Lakewood.

Holy crap, did I receive a wild response from the crowd when I got to the line "Straight outta H.G…. is a mouth like a pussy." I screamed the initials of my home town Hawaiian Gardens bravely like Tarzan, swinging in the trees with the greatest of ease (or skating on branches if you prefer the Disney film adaption). It really was the dumbest, stupidest, weak line I ever put into this rap, and it was my first rhyme, mind you. But what I had in my head was a mouth salivating in saliva, meaning so much spit to shoot. As you will see in future installments, my rap writing skills would eventually get better, so in essence I technically did live up to that part… even when I ended up succumbing to my gimmick as the "anime man."

Why This? There was something empowering about "Renegade," being able to say whatever without fear. Both Jay-Z and Eminem were fearless in their own rights: the former calling out the media for judging books solely on their cover without ever reading them; the latter sticking it to the hypocrites who have labelled him a bad influence when those same hypocrites don't even follow the words they preach. I was so new to this rap thing, admittedly afraid that this first attempt would blow up in my face if I didn't get it right. All that mattered to me in this verse was mere survival: say whatever you want; even if what you have isn't potent, intelligent or cunning enough; and hopefully you'll be declared the winner by default.

...yeah, there was a lot of learning afoot.

[thatbanditqueen]

As you might know, I have been anxious pulling the trigger on this, I am so much better at talking about movies or elvis being hot than I am at talking about music. So, I don't listen to Elvis a lot by album, i have a lot of playlists that I have made ravaging through his catalog... this is also very hard, I think I would actually find it easier to list my top ten. I also wish they had released songs from recording sessions as cohesive albums, and not done the whole stupid single thing.... I agree with most people that From Elvis in Memphis is his best album, it is so well produced at an exciting time in his career. I also really love his first three albums. Ughhh. I was preparing a long diatribe on Elvis Presley (1956), Elvis is Back (1960) which may be my favorite studio album, for many reasons. But these were the first ones that came to my mind so I'm going to go with them.

It's Christmas Time (1999)

This is probably the Elvis album I've listened to the most, in terms of listening to a complete album straight through. I worked in a mall toy store from 2002 to 2004, and through both holiday seasons I was there, this album was in the CD player rotation with another Xmas classics album. From Thanksgiving week to New Years. All day, every day. I wish I could say I grew to hate it, because that would be the sane person's response. And I'm Jewish, in case you haven't heard… though I've grown up in a secular Christmas world and therefore am programmed to love Christmas and all it's food and music. But no, listening to this all day every day made me love it. I preferred this to the other CD that store played, I had a very visceral, sensual response to Santa Claus is back in town. And I still do, and love it even more now that I know some of the history of how they wrote that song on the fly. I mostly now listen to the 1957 album on Spotify, I may have been listening to it yesterday.

Elvis! His Greatest Hits from Reader's Digest (1983)

This is cheating, because it is a 7-album, 82 track release. I'll add the caveat that we probably only listened to the albums with the earlier hits from the 50s. But it popped into my mind first because my parents had a Reader's Digest subscription and we had a lot of their compilations in my house growing up, and this was my first encounter with Elvis. My mom was really into the Bee Gees, Streisand and Gordon Lightfoot, though she has been getting into Elvis now when she comes to visit me. But my dad always liked Elvis a lot, not as a superfan, I don't think we owned any of the books about him, my father probably would not have even said he loved the music or have called himself an Elvis fan by any means. I often wonder if he felt he had to buy this because he thought Elvis' full body of work was important to own, even though he mainly liekd the 50s music, because that was the sort of guy my father was. Elvis' early stuff meant more to him, because I don't remember hearing much of the 60s or 70s stuff around our house, and my dad was coming of age in the UK in the 50s. My favorite songs were All Shook Up and Stuck on You because I thought they were funny. I never really put this music on myself, but this album is my earliest memories of hearing him, and is a precursor to the Greatest Hits CD we had when I was a teenager. I didn't know the release year off hand because I don't think I have looked at this album for 30 years, I don't remember when he got rid of it, probably when he moved out and left my mom in 89, but it was released the year I was born and that makes it extra meaningful to me.

From Elvis Presley Boulevard (1976)

It was a toss up for me to write about Elvis is Back or this one. They are my top two favorite studio albums. I honestly decided to include this one because I feel like it gets less attention, and I just think it is SOOOOOO good. When the drums start on Hurt, you just know it is going to be an amazing album. Ugh, shivers just thinking about it. What would it have been to be at Graceland with him watching him record it? yes, that makes it bittersweet to think about, because he wasn't leaving the house to and that was a signal of the things going on with him in 1976. But I think I wanted to include it here, because I think people often write off post 1973 Elvis, because that is what EPE wants us to do (which is strange, because they actually still only get royalties from releases from 1973 and after, which is quite the conundrum for them and their branding, but whatever, fuck them). So, I want to point to this album, because for me, it is peak Elvis the crooner singing these grand operatic songs that make me quiver. If you know me, you know I love it when he goes loooooooow, and boy, does he do that here. From start to finish, his voice is making slow, sweet love to my ears. Not every Elvis album has a cohesive sound, but this is one of them, and the themes of love and loss and love through loss reverberate through this one, from Hurt, to Blue Eyes Crying the Rain (one of my all time favorite songs, yes I have blue eyes), to Danny Boy, to The Last Farewell (which is kind of strange if you listen to the lyrics, but I love Elvis singing about leaving bonnie old England), to For the Heart, I'll Never Love Again. Moody Blue and She Thinks I Still Care were recorded during theses sessions at Graceland, and I think they would have fitted really well with the themes on this album. I am a weird fucked up sentimentalist and I have trouble with the boundaries between pain and pleasure. I can wallow in that weird sensual place between heartache and desire. And I don't know, I feel like this album captures that.

OK, so this has been my life story through three Elvis albums....

thanks @vintageshanny for this wonderful game, this was fun to think about and wrestle and agonize over what to say. And to read what the others wrote. If I could kiss you I would, these ask games make me so happy, I cannot wait to see what is next.

Top Three Time!

The last question about live performances seemed to stump some people. Remember there are no wrong answers! This is just to share our love for Elvis. ❤️❤️❤️

So, this week’s question is…what are your top three Elvis albums? I think I will just pick from studio albums, but feel free to throw in a live album or anything that floats your boat. There are no rules here, just love! 😘

From Elvis in Memphis - Elvis’ voice in 1969 just does something to me - that soulful raspiness is just…I can’t even describe how much I love it. 🥰 In addition to him being on top of his game vocally, the material is also great. There’s a bluesy vibe to some of the songs that I just love. (I’m looking at you, Power of My Love!) I think with this album you really get a sense for the enthusiasm he had coming off of the comeback special and getting to do what he wanted again.

Elvis Is Back - This whole album is just…chef’s kiss. Again, vocally he sounds amazing in 1960, and you get a sense of excitement from this album as well. It sounds like he came back from the army with a renewed sense of confidence in his abilities. And there are some sexy songs on here! Such a Night, Dirty Dirty Feeling, It Feels So Right…🫠

Elvis Country - I kind of surprised myself with this pick, but once it came into my mind, I knew it had to be. I’m generally not big on country music (at least not current country), but Elvis absolutely slays these songs. His voice with some of the material on here (Tomorrow Never Comes, Funny How Time Slips Away, Make the World Go Away, I Really Don’t Want to Know) can bring me to tears. These are just powerhouse vocal performances.

Anyone who wants, please join in! ❤️

@whositmcwhatsit @be-my-ally @thatbanditqueen @ellie-24 @plasticfantasticl0ver @lookingforrainbows @prompted-wordsmith @flwrs4aust @iloveelvis @argeriant18 @loving-elvis @alienelvisobsession @ab4eva @manebioniclegali @deke-rivers-1957 @rjmartin11 @c-rosenn @elvisalltheway101 @satninroses @doll-elvis @devilsflowerr @missmaywemeetagain @presleysdarling @troubleinapinksuit @cryingabtab @generoustreemystic @samfangirls @animalloverthingsss @velvetelvis @everythingelvispresley

[superbatson]

elvis music tag game

thanks @if-i-can-dream-of-elvis for the tag! ❤

Last Elvis Song You Listened To: i think it was "witchcraft" (bc i started making a halloween-themed elvis playlist, so naturally that's on it)

Current Elvis Song Stuck In Your Head: baby let's play house

Favorite Live Performance Moment: okay i love the previous answer of "if i can dream" from the comeback special but honestly mine is him on the square stage in that special, when he's up on his feet singing "heartbreak hotel/jailhouse rock/etc". i mean, i haven't watched the original special in some time, but i think there's just something magical about seeing him doing his thing on stage again after so much time away. and also i'm a slut for the leather jumpsuit, lbr.

Favorite Genre/Era You Like To Hear Elvis Sing Most: tbh i think most of the elvis music i've listened to were his #1 hits, i haven't ventured that far out from them yet. i did recently start listening a little more to his later stuff from the 70s and wow, they're underrated as heck. the production value is higher and his voice is a lot stronger and a little more mature. definitely an era i need to explore more of.

Current Favorite Elvis Song (bc how can you pick!): kinda ties into my last answer, i've listened to "edge of reality" a lot recently and i really love it. (and i thank the movie for putting it on my radar! it's so good!)

Elvis Song You Tend To Skip: again, i really mostly listen to his top hits, though i'm trying to venture out more. that being said, of that group, i don't really like "viva las vegas". i know it's a classic but i feel like it's been covered to hell and back and therefore kinda gives me bad vibes. like, it's a cheesy song, first and foremost, but it also makes me think of all the gimmicky impersonators that infect vegas and all the shit that went down during elvis' vegas years. it just has a lot of baggage for me, i guess. so i pass on it.

What Kind Of Music Did You Listen To Before/Besides Elvis: it's funny, i don't really remember a time when i didn't like elvis! i guess i must have watched lilo & stitch so young (which it turned me into a fan) that i don't remember a time before it! i guess i'll say, though, that i was generally grown up on classic rock bc my dad has always been a big fan of the beatles and moody blues. but my personal taste has ventured out of that, obviously. i can't even begin to list all my favorite artists but my taste ranges from, like, your generic pop/rock (5sos, shawn mendes) to alternative (bastille, set it off) to edm (madeon, martin garrix) to broadway (ghd, spongebob).

Are You Collecting Elvis’ CD’s, Cassette Tapes, 8-Tracks, or Records?: no. i would love to have some elvis vinyls, but i don't really have a place to keep them, nor a record player to put them on to listen to. i am kinda itching to buy a cd for the 68 comeback special bc it comes with a blu ray disc of the show, but it's like $90, so i'm trying to wait for the price to come down. (i do own a cute little elvis funko pop doll, if that counts for anything.)

Is There Any Other Music You’ve Started Listening To Because Of Elvis: because of him? probably not. i mean, i do find it to be a funny coincidence how seeing jersey boys back in 2015/16 got me back into older music after kinda growing sick of it as a child, but there isn't really a direct connection between that and my love for elvis, it's more coincidental. i will say that if austin butler ever decides to release music of his own, then i'll certainly listen to it and have elvis to thank for that. 👀

Last Live Performance You Were At: if we're talking concerts, then it's back in 2017 when i saw my beloved phillip phillips in concert for the, well, technically third time, if the 2012 idol tour counts. (i also got a meet & greet with him before that 2017 show, and my pic with him is still my facebook profile picture to this day.) if we're talking any sort of live show, then it'd be last november, when i saw the friends musical parody on tour. (oh, was it fun! i would totally see it again, though i know that when they tour again, it'll probably be a different cast. sigh.)

If You Could Have Been At Any Of Elvis’ Live Performances, Which Would Choose: i have a lot of love for the 68 comeback special bc it was probably the first full live performance of elvis' i got to watch and i had the pleasure of seeing it on the big screen when it was released in theaters for the 50th anniversary, so i feel like that'd be my answer. oh, to be one of those girls sitting right there on the edge of the stage, getting to see elvis up close, feel that energy radiating off of him... yeah ��� (again i say, it was also such a special performance, seeing him get back to his roots. i can only imagine the electricity in that studio, from him, the fans, his team... it would have been absolutely amazing to have experienced it in person.)

apparently a lot of y'all in the elvis/austin fandom have already gotten tagged, so i'll open this up to whoever wants to do it, 'cause i don't want anyone getting tagged who's already filled this out. so as per usual, you can just say i tagged you if you see this and decide to fill it out yourself 🙂

[audio-luddite]

Am I a Hypocrite?

So I go and disparage the class of people called "Golden Ears" yet I quote or otherwise show respect for the old Absolute Sound (TAS) and Stereophile magazine. I hope I am not one.

I am "experienced" as I am old. I have seen and heard a lot of stuff. I have not had any formal training as an audiophile, but nobody does. You buy stuff to listen to music. You like music. You like good natural sound. Once you manage to get a good stereo you cannot help but compare other ones to it when you hear them.

I have found many things held precious by GEs are not easily defensible. Stereophile and Absolute Sound magazines liked or even loved the FMI 80 speaker back decades ago. It is better than crap, but the nicest thing I can say is it was deeply flawed. I know this from personal hands on experience. It was built from cheap parts and poorly made ( I had one apart ) and had distorted yet pleasant sound.

I could go on and on about wires and interconnects and well if you look back I have. Yes they affect sound, but it is from common and easy to identify electrical parameters, not mysterious new age crystal bullshit.

When I read old reviews it is for comparisons sake. I really respected the opinions of (TAS) until I could gain my own experience. You have to start somewhere. We are all only human and subject to confirmation bias and all that. But if you see or experience something that contradicts the GE's wisdom whom do you believe?

I suppose that part of the problem is the business depends on salesmen and experts driving people to buy stuff to pad the bottom line. They have a lot of products that do nothing. Ironically when I discovered the very real effect of a cork mat under an LP none of the local high end stereo stores had any. Oh you don't need those, you need this lovely $12,000 turntable!

You do not need power conditioners if you equipment has a proper power supply filter. You do not need spikes under your electronics. You do not need weird expensive wires anywhere. Simple plain cables and wires are fine. You DO need vibration dampers under Turntables, and cork mats.

I have said before and will again right here I have never heard any system in any showroom or home that sounds as good as mine.

My system has evolved over the years. I learned what works and what does not. I base everything on what I can hear. I use tribal knowledge or at least try it, but hearing is believing.

My backup SAE XXX preamp was once in the lower level of the audio pantheon. One of those Bongiorno things you know. With its companion Amplifier it was briefly among the best you could get. It was and I assume still is not as good as my ARC SP12. That was from a direct comparison one to the other. I suppose to be fair I should put it up against the SP14. That is not the point though. I try one and the other and pick what I prefer. I have to emphasize that. It is preference not absolute quality. I got no meters here, just ears.

I hear things and want to dig deeper. Right now I am in a strange place. I do not think there is any deeper to dig. Last night I was playing some stuff off my Iphone into my CD player into the system. I was trying to relax and wanted some background while I caught up on the news. Suddenly and to my surprise this one cut of a Puccini Opera struck me. It was so alive, and real. Big bombastic music to be sure, but it was really so good it penetrated my otherwise distracted mind. Listen to that for god's sake! That was from a digital file on my phone.

When I play LPs aside from wondering if they need a cleaning I just listen to them. There is no "if only" going on here. I know there is no more to get off the records. The only thing may be subtle presentation things. I know that my TT system pulls everything off an LP AND that the sound and balance are essentially identical to a CD of the same recording. I have several other phono cartridges that are more similar than different. That means we are so very close to the ideal. Whatever that is.

So no I am not a hypocrite. I say what I mean from what I hear.

[babygladiatorcollectorfan-blog]

Car Stereo Shop near Me - Overview <br/><br/>JVC car stereo has ever been for the auto enthusiast like me.  You can't simply fit in any audio system in the vehicle.  Combined with wider tyres, it is now much more stable.<br/>Among the most popular and dependable car manufacturers in the automotive industry at the moment is Honda.  It permits you to return the car to the stock radio at any moment should you ever desire to.  All the auto stores can provide you with a large selection of accessories which enables you to find a customized look for your car.<br/>Learn whether any replacement Sony stereo parts that may be needed are readily on the market. Ensure your cords are correctly identified and labelled so the correct cable is utilized to charge up the perfect device.  The Car DVR can likewise be used to deal with the claims of accidents.<br/>The Bluetooth also lets you make those all-important hands completely free phone calls, which I constantly will need to do when in the vehicle.  This auto DVD GPS navigation system includes various functions.  Playback Options The ideal car audio receivers provide comprehensive playback choices.<br/>It also provides a wide selection of frequencies on both the FM and AM bands, and that means you can become nearly every station you want, wherever you're.  Somebody explained that a lengthy, long time past, and I said Fiddlesticks.  These days even have CD alarm clock so as to get up.<br/>You may even have to let them inspect your automobile, but they could likely tell you whether it is going to work over the telephone.  Just make certain your audio consultant isn't paid on commission as their interest might not be yours!  Car stereos aren't always simple to install, therefore it's important to make sure the support staff isn't difficult to contact and able to assist you with any concerns you encounter.<br/>The Unexpected Truth About Car Stereo Shop near Me<br/><br/>Listen Up After narrowing your search for speakers based on what is going to fit your automobile, you are going to have to set your ears to get the job done.  Some reputed businesses give premium quality stereos including Sony car stereos, Blaupunkt stereos, Pioneer stereos and so forth.  Unfortunately, some boat proprietors simply just utilize car audio systems instead of using marine-designed equalizers.<br/>You may adjust the settings on the subwoofer preamp output to supply you with the bass sound which you desire.  When  <a href="http://www.kicker.com/">my explanation</a>  is recorded for stereo reproduction, it's assumed that the listener is going to be positioned equidistant between both loudspeakers.  The amplifier also needs to be given attention, and ought to match with the general power output of your subs and speakers.<br/>As soon as you have completed this then your subwoofer should be set up into the auto electrics.  Car subwoofers are going to enhance your music by bringing out all the deep, low frequencies without a lot of distortion.  Including a simple subwoofer will greatly boost the whole vehicle stereo experience.<br/><a href="http://www.orcadesign.com/">see here</a>  On Car Stereo Shop near Me Just Released<br/><img src="http://joesstereo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/custom-audio.jpg"/><br/><br/>Keep in mind, simply because the stereo you want may have each of the characteristics you are interested in, it still must be set up on your dash and you're likely to need to look at it almost every day for some time period.  Today, every car has a manufacturer-supplied in-dash vehicle stereo, and these are frequently very good, delivering decent sound and featuring a number of the hottest advances in technology.  In both instances these cars are somewhat more appealing in person than they're in the magazines.<br/>It's not really a particularly complicated project so far as electronics go, and thus don't be put off, there isn't an awful lot to it, but it's potentially a fairly useful and nifty device. With these several gadgets you'll be able to secure the premium sound performance that you've always dreamed about.  When you purchase the gps navigation system, don't forget to get a map software, because your gps navigation system cannot work without the map program.<br/>Who Else Wants to Learn About Car Stereo Shop near Me?<br/><br/>Other components could be needed depending on the kind of system you're building and how elaborate you need your sound to be.  It is possible to customize your system according to your requirement and preference. It's not essential, and I typically don't utilize it in my own system.<br/><a href="http://www.precisionpower.net/">Manufacture Link</a>  are incredibly practical and useful devices for a variety of emergency circumstances.  When creating a call it's very clear and I discovered no problems when utilizing this feature. The issue is that must get rid of the full dashboard to change this part and there's absolutely no way around it.<br/>Selling  <a href="http://us.bizadee.com/remote-car-starters-rockville-89484#sthash.FprwL02W.dpbs">you can try here</a>  is a developing business nowadays.  Putting up an auto sound system store of your own isn't a really simple undertaking.  Generally, a multi-functional automobile DVD player GPS unit will provide you different sound and video alternatives, and some correct hand capacities for enhancing driving security.<br/>Remember, some folks only write reviews since they're not satisfied with the item and need an outlet to vent.  You never understand what or why folks are dumping what they do.  Never Hold a product, especially in the event the possible customer hasn't bought it!<br/>You are also able to get a lot cheaper deal online as most online stores offers no cost delivery. You may use the links below to receive an idea about what stores have the ideal stock in what categories. Most electronic shops in the USA are declining as we also order quite a few of our electronics online.<br/><br/>